Artificial intelligence (AI) is being touted as the next big thing in the technology domain—the game changer in every sphere of life. Talent management too is going to be transformed, thanks to intelligent and smart systems and processes. HR professionals must be prepared to nurture this change by providing the right skills and competencies. This requires HR to build an AI-centred talent pool that has the technical and HR expertise to drive the change. It must ensure that it builds the AI talent pipeline for a better talent landscape tomorrow.

HR and business leaders must wake up to the fact that making the right AI investments today is not an option, but a mandate. Companies that do not turn “smarter” are ill-fated in the near future. Many technology players have realized this, and AI investments are therefore on the rise. AI investments last year stood at around $2.5 billion and are predicted to double to $5 billion by the end of 2017. Silicon Valley players are spearheading much of this AI investment. However, a good deal of this investment is happening in core tech, i.e., the systems and processes that drive AI. Another very important but often ignored side of AI is the people capability, i.e., talent that is well versed in the field and can add incremental value to AI initiatives. It is high time organizations scout for and build the AI talent that is needed to drive the AI future.

Renowned tech consultant Mark Minevich spoke about AI and its impact on the US economy at the Interop last week. He has worked with the United Nations in a bid to put together a governing body for AI, to help standardize the talent characteristics and needs of the industry, as well as to study the impact of AI-led automation. As a result, the World Artificial Intelligence Organization (WAIO) is set to come to light in June. The body is expected to help standardize AI initiatives and build AI talent pools. It will also look into the security aspects of AI, a grave threat that is waiting to explode in our faces if we do not pay the requisite attention. Regulation and control is necessary today, and for this we need the best of AI brains to make AI safe and secure for the common consumer. Another possible outcome of this initiative is the convergence of AI with the human brain by using a chip implant: this is a promising possibility that can open up newer avenues.

Companies that are looking to up their AI game must take a cue from this governing body and scout the talent market for AI capabilities, for the very reasons mentioned above. New algorithms will be needed to be built, new security systems developed, new language control mechanisms invented. All this will be possible only if the right talent is made available at the right time and place. These jobs fall into the laps of the natural language processing scientists, many of who reside in Sweden and Israel. Inroads are already being made, and China too has invested $10 billion in AI and set up a national body for AI research. The US is no doubt the leader in AI, with Silicon Valley focusing on it. However, this needs to be sustained by building more AI talent for the future. For this, HR departments must be aware of the skillsets and how they align with the business needs. HR leaders must set aside budgets to focus on AI skill building. Deep learning and predictive analytics are two key areas to focus on at the initial stages, thereafter moving on to advanced language capabilities.

Now is the time to pave our way for a smarter future, by making AI the core of all enterprise initiatives.